As more businesses offer opportunities for employees to work remotely, businesses themselves are downsizing their office, or eliminating them completely. This development means that virtual office services are more popular than ever before. Keep this virtual office checklist in mind as you change your business model to be digital nomad friendly.
A virtual office offers businesses a physical address, and office services without the need for a lease and administrative staff. This enables everyone within the business to work from anywhere and access standard office services. Services often include mail processing and forwarding, meeting rooms, copy and print services, and phone forwarding.
When searching for a virtual office service, you must ensure they offer everything you require. Below are some of the key services you should expect.
The most common use of a virtual office is as a business address. This virtual address allows you to register your business in almost any city you wish. Ideally, you should have this information when you first set up your business or company. This is because registering a business in a different state can offer tax benefits for your organization. Furthermore, the address your business files under can say a lot about your business. The virtual address allows you to add legitimacy to your business venture no matter where you live or work.
Having a physical address to send mail to is crucial for a business. While you could use a PO Box or your home address, having an office address is more legitimate and safer. After all, you don’t want to be listing your home address on a website, or handing it out to contacts. With a mail forwarding service, all of your mail is sorted, and then held or forwarded to a specified address. Additional benefits may also include mail scanning, which allows you to see what mail has come in, and spam sorting.
Having a virtual phone line can be beneficial for your business, and employees. VoIP (voice over internet protocol) allows you to have an entire phone system that is accessible from anywhere. Each employee can have a dedicated phone number rather than using their personal phone plan for work. Additionally, having a business VoIP line allows you to set up professional voicemail messages and add another layer of legitimacy to your business as the number can match where your business is registered.
This feature offers standard receptionist services such as answering phone calls, message taking, call forwarding and basic customer service queries. All incoming calls are answered in a professional manner, using your company name before being forwarded, or taking a message.
Some virtual office service providers also offer the use of meeting rooms or offices to clients. These are easy to reserve and offer a safe, secure location to meet with clients or vendors. Furthermore, the onsite receptionist will ensure the office is set up correctly, greet your guests, and direct them to the right room.
As a business owner, choosing to operate out of a virtual office can save money while allowing you to present as a professional business. Use the virtual office checklist above to find a provider that offers all the services you need or want. Keep in mind that most service providers charge per service, per month so pricing will vary depending on your needs.
